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by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Happy birthday Malcolm. Malcolm X, arguably the greatest black man whoever lived (even without being elected to public office), has become a mere afterthought in mainstream American history. His grave site is shameful, and almost none of us know the day he was born. The neglect of Malcolm’s legacy makes it clear that America doesn’t love him as much as the more digestible Martin Luther King Jr.
Being unloved can actually be a good thing. Malcolm was feared by the establishment, and fear can be more powerful than love because sometimes your enemies can respect you more than your friends. The so-called “love” we received via friendly, polite integration has left us consistently disrespected by even our own black politicians. Malcolm taught us how be truly powerful, which is why White America never programmed you to accept him.
To celebrate what Malcolm left us with (much of which has been forgotten), I thought I’d lay out five things I learned from the life of Malcolm X:
1) The Value of True Independence: In our quest for integration, we quickly learned that it’s hard to earn respect in a capitalist society when you aren’t prepared to be self-sufficient. Freedom is not the same as independence: A man can be free to do whatever he wants, but if he’s not independent, he’ll end up going right back to his oppressor to get the things he needs in order to survive. That is what millions of black people are doing to this very day – we line up for jobs with companies not owned by us, and wonder why our unemployment rate is double that of White America. Malcolm warned us that this was going to happen, but many of us failed to listen.
2) Self-respect: You don’t need anyone to validate you with a fancy job title, a high income or a big house, especially if you must sacrifice your integrity in order to get them. You were already a valuable person on the day you were born. This is an important lesson to remember in a world where even our most powerful black public figures continue to seek mainstream validation in order to feel significant. When your adversary knows that you need him to pat you on the head in order for you to feel good about yourself, then he will always control the limitations of your possibilities.
3) The Necessity for Intelligence and Education: Intelligence and education are not one in the same, but both serve as armor for people of color in a world that is designed to destroy them. The worst thing that any man or woman can do is walk away from education, because when you do that, you are walking right into the grasp of slavery. Not only do black people need to embrace education, we must demand educational excellence from our children, where they pursue academic achievement with as much passion as they have when chasing after tickets to the next Lil Wayne concert. In addition to being formally educated, young people should be taught to seek knowledge from independent sources and to engage in critical thinking. If you can’t formulate your own opinion about the world, someone is always happy to give your opinion to you.
4) The Importance of Spiritual and Physical Health: This isn’t something you get from eating and consuming the food and ideas being fed to you by the descendants of your historical oppressors. Every day, your mind and body are being polluted by music teaching black men to murder one another, food that makes you obese, and media images designed to turn you into a greedy, selfish, capitalistic c**n (see “n****z in Paris” as a case-in-point). It is critical to rise above this psychological poison, for it is essential for our very survival.
5) The Value of True Courage: Capacity, success, wealth, education and power mean almost nothing without the desire to commit to a cause greater than yourself. Part of what made Malcolm every bit as great as Martin Luther King (without all the white American fanfare) is that he figured out that, even in death, he could live forever by injecting the next generation with a spiritual energy that will exist for thousands of years. We are all his children, and he lives through us. His power and vision will live far longer than his physical body ever could.
In fact, Malcolm X will never die.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Syracuse University Professor and author of the forthcoming book, “The RAPP Sheet: Rising Above Psychological Poison.” To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
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Davchi
June 23, 2012 at 3:06 am
They both loved their people and shook-up white America of its racial injustice. Both had many negroes that were afraid to help them confront white America. Malcolm’s truth and the Nation of Islam’s backing probably frightened negroes that loved their place in society more than whiteys. Martin with his college and theology and plan of Ghandi faced off peacefully with the true savages of the human race. Every race of people that dealt with this pale skinned human left a lasting connotation on their character for a reason.
highfivesix
May 30, 2012 at 2:16 am
I agree in totality with the great Dr’s analysis, however, he left out one significant quality. That quality was reflectiveness…Bro.Minister Malcolm X was introspective enough that he could self-reflect on his very own strenghts and weaknesses. More importantly Mr.X didn’t just look at the man in the mirror he self-corrected the reflection that he saw. In other words he had this chameleon like ability to transform and reinvent himself mentally, spiritually and physically.
Although I can’t say rest in peace to him, because a soldier’s work is never done, I can say, peace be unto you Brother Malcolm !!!!
Makheru Bradley
May 24, 2012 at 3:28 am
It’s not Malcolm vs Martin. A synthesis of the best of both of our Esteemed Ancestors is urgently required.
Malcolm implored us to Wake Up! Clean Up! Stand Up!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ1hRFeU9m0
HASSAN HARTLEY
May 23, 2012 at 3:06 pm
The black Church has denigrated gays and lesbians for DECADES, and now you Negroes wanna cry over some criticism? HYPOCRITES.
If the Church feels THAT disrespected, then unite to tell all of its black gay and lesbian members that YOU WILL NOT ACCEPT THEIR MONEY FOR TITHING IN THE CHURCH.
Good luck on THAT happening.
http://brotherhassans.blogspot.com/2012/05/my-open-letter-in-response-to-dr-boyce.html
P.S. read my response.
CHANTAEY
May 22, 2012 at 6:28 pm
THIS IS EXCELLENCE as was your insight Dr.!
C.Muwallif
May 22, 2012 at 1:43 pm
I would so be for a fund raiser to upgrade the resting place for one of our most profound, courageous Black leaders. No disrespect, but brotha Malik El Hajj Shabazz (Malcolm X) should have a monument as well. BUT most importantly, his legacy will and must carry on until the awakening of the masses. I’m soo worried about our black youths; their (our) “urban” culture has been manufactured and manipulated as nothing more than glorified gentrification. Know your history or prepare to parish from the repetition. Remember people that ignorance is bliss. Happy Birthday Brother Solider!
Carol
May 21, 2012 at 8:09 pm
BOTH MALCOM AND DR. KING WERE GREAT MEN. THE BOTH OF THEM CONTRIBUTED TO THE BETTER OF BLACK PEOPLE. WHY WHY WHY ARE THEY BEING COMPARED, THEY WERE DIFFERENT MEN WHO CONTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY. PLEASE DON’T MAKE A DIFFERENCE WE HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THAT FROM ALL THE OTHER RACES!!!!!
Night
May 21, 2012 at 5:45 pm
…Here’s a thought – If his grave is shameful then why don’t we get a donation site up and running. Pull our resources and update his grave to something more deserving of a great black leader. In doing so – we would in a way act as one for a great cause and show self love. Would that work brothers and sisters?
Night
May 21, 2012 at 5:43 pm
Here’s a thought – If his grave is shameful then why don’t we get a donation site up and running. Pull our resources and update his grave to something more deserving of a great black leader. In doing so – we would in a way act as one for a great cause and show self love. Would that work brothers and sisters?
bernice
May 21, 2012 at 5:44 am
Here I am again. What I want to say is that Malcom and Martin. are saying the same thing but in different ways. Put it together. It’s all good. We learn from many teachers. MOTHER- FATHER- SISTER FRIENDS- TEACHERS- PAIN- HAPPINESS AND FEAR. Thank you Betty. If we are divided, as long as we are divided, We will always be concorded. We are saying the same things. Just listen to ourselves .Our biggest problem is that we are brain wahed or brain dead. It is your chose. Choose your own poisen. We can not see the forest from the trees. It’s too dark. Maybe we need another 100 years.
bernice
May 21, 2012 at 5:24 am
i write what I have to say and it doenn’t even go through. what good is it for me to write
dnese
May 21, 2012 at 2:26 am
Oh My! No truer words have ever been spoken. I was raised in the deep south, and have often wondered why things went the way they did in spite of the struggle. I have great respect for Dr. King and his associates but as I’ve observed our people and reflected and had many conversations with family and friends. It seems we would have been much better off if we had applied the above mentioned 1-5 in our community. Afterall, that is what other minorities who come here do and they are more respected than us. (I can give personal experience from childhood and on) but I’ll leave it for now. Thank you for calling this to our attention again.
DaTruth
May 21, 2012 at 1:33 am
Malcolm is my hero & will never b forgotten! Luv Luv that brotha! He was “our shining black prince”.
Davchi
May 20, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Malcolm was trying to tell the black man to learn the history of white people and then you would understand their need for white supremacy. We are the only race of people whose name has been changed again and again by another race for us and we accept what we are called.Like two different negroes as we were called then,Malcom was viewed as violent and racist, yet sought after by white universities, where as Martin was looked upon as a non-violent communist that held the mirror to racist white America.Both murdered but Black America reacted to Martin’s killing because they like him thought they could confront whites peacefully.
Clarence M. Allen
May 20, 2012 at 11:16 pm
We all must always remember our history. Thanks for this enlightening truth. REGULATE!
Catlover
May 20, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Happy Birthday, Malcolm X. Thank you Elijah Muhammad, Dr. King and Marcus Garvey. Why I like Malcolm most is because he proposed that Black Americans take our situation to the World Court and put the United States on notice for its abuses. I think it makes more sense to take your abuser to a higher authority than itself to seek justice. It doesn’t make sense to expect justice from your very abuser, as what civil rights does. Civil Rights keeps us within the jurisdiction of the US. They can give civil rights protections and they can take it away. Alot of us are seeing that we are repeating our history these days…and wonder why. I think it is because we forget our history and we still haven’t made our abusers accountable to an authority higher than itself. Malcolm was right and we keep running on the same treadmill and go no where.
Keith
May 20, 2012 at 6:07 pm
This is powerful and so true. I am going to share this knowledge with one of my black male students who is going trough transitions.
In regards to Malcolm X, I’ve always found myself giving him favor when compared to Martin Luther King Jr. This piece was truly a good read. Thanks brotha Dr. Boyce for sharing.
http://www.MychocolateCity.com
brotha 2 the K
Lewis Matthews
May 20, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Dr Boyce let’s give respect to Malcolm’s teacher The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. The principles that he advocated he got from Elijah Muhammad let’s not exalt the student over the teacher. Do you self a favor and Learn about what really went down and don’t buy Into the white mans propaganda about malcolms departure from the NOI He begged the messenger to be allowed back right before his death Its on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2ttI2YXk_Q
delfort minor
May 20, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Well all my life since I was born in Chicago I’ve have had a spirit or a angel stand by me all my life, and one day while just flicking through some pic I saw a image of a man name Wallace Dodd Fard I drop the papers, as I slowly went back through them I didn’t see the image, but one night I had a dream in which I fell upon the grave of Malcolm X and it caved in and out came a cloud of mist and out of this mist stood a man dress like a Prince from Egypt,as I took off running I heard this man say a command in which to giant cobra’s chase me through the woods and caught up to me and held me to the ground, as the man approach he point up at the sky and out came a bolt of lightning and burn a symbol into my back in which I have tattoo now, once I stood up he said onto me (Go and share the knowledge that I been given and I will pass it onto u and I will show u the future to reach other planets) I dream one night I was walking on to a stage I walk pass this man who told me if I had my gun lock and loaded I say yes it’s ready, but when I was on stage I notice these dark figures out on the front row but the rest of the place was empty, as soon as I touch the mic these dark images came to the stage and begin shooting something at me as I reach for my gun it was not there and I remember falling back and hitting the floor and I woke up, now all these things I’ve said all I can say is this can the spirits of the dead come back and touch the living to get revenge on the ones who are living, u see ladies and gentlemen the people who gun down Malcolm X in 65 only kill the body, but his spirit came back to still send his message into the future and teach the living from things that Malcolm X learn in his past, and all my life I’ve been running from this spirit but now I’ve come to realize its Malcolm X spirit that reaches out and touch the living to past on the knowledge into the minds of the lost and to show us we as a African American nation can do things for our self, but as I look around I see young black men with pants hanging off their backside, and some just don’t give a dam, but like the song goes from the Staple Singers RESPECT YOURSELF and think and use KNOWLEDGE to do things for self.
marcus davis
May 20, 2012 at 2:40 pm
Always respected and loved Brotha Malcolm.Everything he said was just pure common sense ,it really urks me to see that todays generation have no realization or concept for what Brotha Malcolm stood for ,he’d be turning in his grave right now with some of the foolishness thats going on today.
Peter D. Slaughter
May 20, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Myself,the idea of Black Nationalist Unity and international Pan-Afrikanism is still in full effect. A vast % of black’s or so-called afrikan americans have been bamboozled and souled out.
As we can see the social,political and econimic madness blacks’s of today are being forced to live under.This black president is really a joke.I would expect Malcolm X to be denouncing everything that has been going on. This slave type syndrome of thuggery and coonism has trapped a vast % of black males,which has been feeding them to this updated slave prison plantation system in full operation today.The only solution is a real new agenda of black untity and liberation and forget intergration.Black’s on a very large scale have been intergrated right out of their minds.
corbin56
May 20, 2012 at 1:29 pm
@ CORTEZ — Good morning and THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
Kevin
May 20, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Our great leaders fall my research leads me to believe that somewhere at sometime something went wrong, God will take them away when he believes our work as leaders are done! My middle son is ten yrs. old and we have old encyclopedias that don’t have Martin or Malcom in them, I mind u this is only 25 yrs ago. Our fault as blacks is energizing our enemies by focusing on b.s. giving them both our attention and life to them, T.D. Jakes said u wana kill it ignore it! -Peace
Brian
May 21, 2012 at 3:07 am
Another fatal flaw in the black community Ignoring potentially life threatening issues. High Blood Pressure, Smoking, the aids crises, our self hatered. Yes ignoring white people and their system of white supremacy will make it go away! Good call!
I can tell you never followed Malcolms teachings!
Teri
May 20, 2012 at 12:38 pm
“Grave site is shameful” ??? What do you mean? We go to Malcolm and Betty’s grave every year on May 19 th … How is it shameful?
Dr Johnny "i can" Duncan
May 20, 2012 at 12:12 pm
Correct me if I am incorrect. Certainly the white man’s fear of El Haij Malik El Shabazz is reflected by the fact that the postal service has a commemorative stamp for him. Furthermore, if the things that Dr. Boyce says are not the measure of men/women, then why are men and women in such hot pursuit of them, i. e., titles, positions, homes, etcetera? What one says to impress is not necessary always what is true!
Brian
May 21, 2012 at 2:58 am
are you serious? Me thinks you like hearing your own voice.
Wallace D. Johnson, Jr
May 20, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Great respect for Malcolm X and Martin L. King,Jr. However, I do agree with the analysis you make about how Malcolm is not promoted or remembered than by true devotes. In my fourth grade class I taught them equally and tried to see that they both were necessary for the advancement of Black people in America. We don’t have to tear one down to promote the other. We as a people are a diverse people and must find a way of accepting our diversity and yet maintain a unity of purpose and mutual support for the good of all. Malcolm, I believe would have continued to evolve and worked to bring this kind of thinking to us. It just bothers me when I see us get hung up on who gets the credit and forget about the mission/goal.
Happy Birthday Malcolm X and may your spirit infuse us to use all those “means necessary.”
Monique
May 20, 2012 at 11:54 am
You made a mistake in your assessment. Malcolm is well respected where I live. If his family is not taking care of his grave site, you should let them know. I always discuss Malcolm’s legacy with my students. When I told Hispanic students that Malcolm wrote down every word in the dictionary, they were impressed. Somebody said, “Well,in that case, I can learn to write too.” African-American students respect him as much as Dr. King. They did not know that one was “more digestible” than the other. That favoritism was evident in the past; and young people would not know about it unless we poison their minds with misconceptions of the past. Do they really need to know that Malcolm was a threat? If so, why? Let’s remember and pass on the important information and stop dragging up the victim message.
BROTHER HASSAN
May 20, 2012 at 7:24 am
All of those 5 things, he learned from the Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Why give Malcolm the credit for what he was teaching from Elijah?? You Negroes kill me with your disrespect of that man.
old Country Man
May 20, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Thank you sir for your remarks, I appreciated them. We must not forget that anyone that tries to unite Black People will be subjected to all kinds of harsh criticism not only from the other race but more importantly from our own racial leaders whose lifestyles and positions are maintained by Black People being separated from each other and being dependant upon the establishment.
BETTY
May 20, 2012 at 2:01 pm
THEY BOTH WERE GREAT BLACK MEN BROTHER!WHAT DOES IT MATTER!ARE THEY NOT BROTHER’S?THAT’S THE PROBLEM WITH BLACK’S TODAY!JEALOUSY AND ENVY,NOT STICKINNG TOGETHER!IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO DID WHAT FIRST!,AS LONG AS WE COME TOGETHER IN THE END BROTHER!BOTH OF THESE MEN ARE GONE BECAUSE OF ONE THING!,AND THAT IS HATE!LET’S STOP THE DIVISION TODAY!LOVE BOTH MEN,THEY DID MUCH FOR OUR PEOPLE!
mustafa
May 21, 2012 at 12:00 am
brother hassan…
we give malcolm the credit because he was not preaching with a refrigerator full of pork chops and having out of wedlock children.
DaTruth
May 21, 2012 at 1:41 am
Right on mustafa!
HASSAN HARTLEY
May 23, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Mustapha, The Hon. Elijah Muhammad had multiple wives, you asswipe, and had children from those wives, and DID NOT eat pork. Try again, you b******e.
Keith
May 20, 2012 at 6:38 am
Dr. Watkins, you’ve laid out 5 of the most important things we need to know and live by. There’s no competition between Malcolm and Martin — they were both among many great soldiers, female and male, for justice and liberation and self determination. I also want to point out that Malcolm taught many things that today Louis Farrakhan has been teaching and building upon. And both of those men were taught by Elijah Muhammad, who was befriended by Dr. King during King’s last days with us. When we sift out the flaws which the mainstream has recorded about our greatest, we still end up with diamonds among human beings.
fred_53_99
May 21, 2012 at 1:55 pm
It’s silly to compare the two. One Martin challenged racism face to fsce in America he put his body on the.Malcom challenged in slave within us , something we still don’t want to deal with. One was a sword, the other a shield. The greatness of one dosen’t cancel the greatnes of the other.
Geoffrey Moore
May 22, 2012 at 5:53 pm
There is never any need to compare the two philosophies, as we have benefited beyond measure from the work of MLK Jr. What I think is missing in our understanding of brother Malcolm, is how much of his philosophy of economic independence would be, and it still important to us as a community. Because we have not truly understood that message as a community, we are unable to support our own institutions, businesses as we should be able to.
Cortez
May 20, 2012 at 6:35 am
We as black people need to start taking heed to the words of Louis Farrakhan and start giving the Nation of Islam more respect and quit labeling them as hatemongers and racist because black people are fundamentally incapable of being racist. Because someone tells the truth doesn’t mean that they’re a racist. The truth hurts but it had to be told. The truth is the only thing that will set us free. You don’t need Farrakhan to tell you that white folks are the REAL Devil. The only red devil is the sunburned one that can’t handle the sun’s deadly ultraviolet rays. The Real devil is the one you can see. The Real h**l is manifested right before you and all around you. Don’t pretend to not know what I’m talkin about. I know that you know and you know that you know. Ask the past victims of this sunburned psychopathical , mental-illness plagued beast who the Real Devil is. Ask your own ancestors who the Real devil is. They won’t say Al – Quieda or the Taliban. Go back to Africa and ask the Blackman who was hunted and trapped like a wild animal who is the Real Devil. To to the blackmans cage and ask him that question through the bars of that cage. See what answer he gives you. Ask the other hunted Blackman who didn’t live to see a cage. You know he is the one posing in the picture posing against his will as two pale faced hunters proudly prop up his lifeless,limp, dead black body up into the air with two sticks so they can take a picture of the Blackman that they hunted,shot and killed ask that murdered Blackman who the Real Devil is. Go back to the plantation and Ask the beautiful little 12 yr old. Black girl that was just gang raped by a group of l*****g redneck sweaty, pale faced slave masters in the field. Ask her as she lay there bleeding and crying ask her who the m***a-phucking Real Devil is. She ain’t forgot you forgot. She will never forget. But your uncle Tom a*s kissing self forgot. Well ask the little black boy standing in the southern town square. Ask him he just watched his black father being beaten And hanged in front of the entire town’s pale population. The entire town of pale faced winter monkeys came out to watch this event after Church. Hypocritical bastards. Ask this little black boy who the devil is he has your answer. Try to to tell this little boy your lies about the Red Devil under the ground and see if he believes your stupid brainwashed black a*s. Try to tell him what your house n***a preacha told you. Ask the Native American people about the Real Devil. First you have to find one of them to ask because they are nearly extinct. Their population has been murdered to near extinction. Go back in time and ask them about the Real Thanksgiving. I can go on and on about who the Real devil is. Wake up black people. Real Eyes..Realize…Real Lies. Start showing Farrakhan and the Nation more respect they have your back why not have theirs.
Leo Jones,Jr
May 20, 2012 at 4:39 pm
I AM the Herald of He!
Who is as black in countenance as thou and me!
O, man Bilial, canst thou see?
In order to be free
Harsh truths are for those with small ears
Like thee and me.
I sing the song of the sheaves
Blowin’ violently in the blood-red breeze!
Cortez
May 20, 2012 at 5:45 am
Dr. Boyce now your talking man. All integration did for us was left us beggin the whiteman for jobs. White folks would love for us to hold on to Dr. King’s philosophy so that they can keep kicking our black a***s. Why do you think that white society tries to constantly shove Dr. King down our throats. They honor and celebrate Dr. King because they want us to be “non-violent dreamers”. This hasn’t been an American Dream it’s been more like an Amerikkkan Nightmare for the millions of sleeping Black people lost in the wildnerness of a strange land amongst a strange people. Wake up Blackman And Blackwoman wake up and put and end to this constant nightmare. Read Genesis chapter 15, verses 12-15. We have black doctors, black lawyers, black engineers, black scientist, a black president, hundreds of black mayors, black senators, black scientist, black diplomats, black architects, black scholars, black professors, black mathematicians, black linguist, a black labor force , black economic power, but the reason that we still don’t really have anything at all is because we don’t have any Black self love. All these things and we still can’t create a job for ourselves. Can’t produce anything for ourselves. Still begging whitey for a job. All that we do have is working for the benefit of the whitefolks who are prostituting us while none
Michael S. Hughes
May 21, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Well, Cortez why are you even responding to Dr. Watkin’s fake crying Black BS, when he works for a White University. Why doesn’t he work for the Blackest HBCU he can find. Even if he makes less and has to teach more classes, he will be reaching out to our Black youth. Right now he is mostly teaching white youth, makin money, and crying Black. And you are stupid enough to buy into his division between Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. If you read James Cone assessment of Malcolm and Martin (i.e. Martin & Malcom & America: A Dream or a Nightmare)your will find that as they got older, both of their views begin to come together. We need to respect both of them for who they were and where they came from!!!! As long as you follow the idiocy of dudes like Boyce Watkins, you will continue to spout a lot of ignorance and be p****d off, while he works for White people, cry Black, and lines his pockets.
Porcelain
June 2, 2012 at 5:04 am
You are so right. Thank you for the continuing opening of my soul.
Robert E. Saunders
May 20, 2012 at 4:04 am
That’s fine, I respect, admire, & try to take the best from both. Both were essential to my personal development. I think they respected each other by the end of their lives…
Gina Williams-scott
May 20, 2012 at 2:16 am
They are not , I just have preference bro.
Chantal Bailey
May 20, 2012 at 12:49 am
I Love Brother Malcolm! By any means necessary!
Robert E. Saunders
May 20, 2012 at 12:45 am
Why do they have to be in competition?
Gina Williams-scott
May 20, 2012 at 12:23 am
Sorry folkes,but I have always held Malcolm X in higher respect than Martin L. King!